Tech & Gadgets

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

High-tech isn’t just for entertainment, it’s also crossing over into the world of appliances. And this year promises interesting innovations to help make household life easier while focusing on form and function throughout the home. Here’s just a taste of what’s here already, and to come in 2016.

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2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

1 Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator

This summer, you’ll be able to replace that clunky old, energy-hogging refrigerator with the gorgeous new Samsung Family Hub. Finished in sleek stainless steel, it comes outfitted with a 21.5” screen on the front. Yes, a multi-purpose screen. Leave digital notes for family members, check daily calendars, listen to music (yes, there are speakers, too!), or keep up with your favourite show from a connected Samsung Smart TV. Cameras inside the appliance snap photos of the interior each time you close the door so the next time you’re grocery shopping you can access the images on your smartphone to see if you’re out of milk, or running low on yogurt. For more information click here.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Samsung

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

2 iRobot Roomba 980 Robot Vacuum

Put your feet up and let this robotic vacuum do the work for you. It will scoot across your floors, picking up dust and debris, sensing the room dimensions to conduct a thorough clean while avoiding stairs and objects in the way. Plus, you can control it remotely from your smartphone so the floors will be sparkling clean by the time you get home from work. iRobot Roomba 980 vacuum cleaning robot, iRobot, $899.99.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: iRobot

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

3 Samsung AddWash Washing Machine

Don’t you hate when you fill the washing machine and start a load, only to realize that you dropped a sock halfway down the stairs? Or, minutes later, you clumsily spill ketchup on your new, white blouse? This washing machine has a compartment that you can open up to add items into a load already in progress, without having to stop the cycle. Watch for it this spring. For more information click here.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Samsung

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

4 LG LDT996BD Top Control True Steam Dishwasher

With energy costs on the rise, we want to do as much as we can to maximize our electricity and water usage. With this dishwasher’s EasyRackPlus system, you can adjust the racks to accommodate all of your items, without having to run separate loads. The intensity level of the wash can also be set based on what’s inside: turn it down a notch to clean drinking glasses on top, and make it more intense for heavily-soiled pots on the bottom – all in the same cycle! Finished in black stainless steel, it’s also a pretty sexy addition to any kitchen. For more information click here.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: LG

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

5 Smarter Connected Devices for the Kitchen

If you don’t have the dough (or need) for a brand new fridge like the Samsung model noted earlier, grab Smarter devices that perform similar inventory-gathering functions, but that you can use with the refrigerator you already own. Mount the cameras inside to snap photos of your fridge’s contents that can be accessed through the smartphone app. Or place the mats under items like milk and ketchup – they register the weight and notify you when you’re running low and need to restock. These are coming to Canada some time before the end of the year and we can’t wait! For more information click here.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Smarter

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

6 Whirlpool Smart Suite

If you’re ready for a complete kitchen overhaul, check out this set, which includes a refrigerator, dishwasher and stove, all with high-tech, innovative functions. For example, the fridge has a Party Mode that will activate quick ice and cool settings so you can always keep drinks replenished. This mode also keeps the fridge interior extra cool, factoring in that the doors will be opened and closed much more frequently than usual. For the eco-conscious, set all three appliances to automatically turn off lights and sounds at sunset every Sunday to help keep temperatures at a steady state and conserve energy. The products will be arriving in Canada starting with the refrigerator in May and we should see all three by September. For more information click here.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Whirlpool

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

7 Sharp Tea-Cere

Trying to kick the coffee habit? Maybe you’re replacing the daily caffeine fix with healthier Japanese matcha tea, in which case, you’re in luck. This compact machine is meant especially for grinding, brewing, and whisking authentic matcha tea, though you can use it to make any type of tea you like. The motors grind leaves into a fine powder, to which you can add matcha powder and water to brew four cups at a time. Get it in red or green to match your kitchen decor. For more information click here.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Sharp

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

8 Brewie Automated Home Brewery

With plans of arrival mid-year, the Brewie lets you make your own beer at home using predefined recipes, your own creations, or ones shared by other Brewie users via a social site. Order the ingredients online from the Brewie store (unless your local grocer so happens to sell things like hops) and get creative. Then sit back, relax, check the status from your phone, and receive a notification when the brew is ready for a sampling. The best part? It’s self-cleaning. Bottoms up! Brewie machine, Brewie, $1,799.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Brewie

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

9 Crock-Pot Smart Slow Cooker with WeMo

The Crock-Pot Smart Slow Cooker is equipped with Belkin WeMo technology, letting you control it remotely from a smartphone app. You can do things like turn down the cook temperature if you’re running late, or turn the machine off entirely to avoid overcooking while you’re unexpectedly stuck in traffic on the way home. Crock-Pot WeMo Enabled Smart Slow Cooker, Crock-Pot, $159.99.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: Crock-Pot

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

10 Ecobee3 HomeKit-Enabled Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat

The benefits of smart thermostats are tremendous, particularly with electricity and energy costs on the rise. With this model, you can remotely control heating and cooling, turning the temperature down when you’re away on vacation or cranking up the AC on your way home so the house is cool by the time you arrive. Or, just let the smart features do the work for you, adjusting HVAC automatically based on the ever-unpredictable temperature outside. Smart WiFi Thermostat, ecobee, $249.

Image by: Style at Home
By: Christine Persaud
Source: ecobee

2016's most anticipated connected appliances for your home

11 Ripple Maker

You won’t be able to buy one of these any time soon for your home, but it is so super-cool, we just had to include it. The Ripple Maker by Israel-based Steam CC lets you “print” virtually any image or text atop a foam-based drink, like a cappuccino. Put your own coffee in a Ripple Pod, upload a photo (yes, even your own selfies), and the machine will do the work, brewing a perfect cup, complete with your desired image on top. You can experience it now in a few New York City coffee shops, like the Macchiato Espresso Bar. For more information click here.